Pan I Elenath An Dannen Iul
by Navana
Summary: When Aragorn feels his time has come to lay down his life, surrender his crown, and pass away, he finds that he must give up all that he has fought for all his life. Rewrite of 'The Tale of AA' by Silrean and Navana


_Pan I Elenath An Dannen Iul_

_A king sat on his throne,  
A crown upon his head.  
With every power his own,  
And truth in every word he said._

The rays of the sun flooded the western window of the high chamber of the King of Gondor. Through the light, the wind swirled and brought the sweet scent of fresh blossoms into the chamber. In the center of the room, King Elessar stood, breathing in deeply the wonders about him; drinking in all the wonders of the world. So many long years seemed to have passed since he had felt a burden as heavy as this upon him.

Queen Undomiel quietly came up to stand beside her beloved King, a look of sadness in her unearthly-blue gaze. Gently, she slipped her arm through his and rested her head briefly upon his shoulder before meeting his eyes. 

"It is time, my love," he looked long into her eyes. Such a day he had known would come, and he knew it was drawing near. But here, he knew it was indeed time. The latest King of Men was ready to end his circle of life, and continue the long-broken line of Kings. As the Lords of Gondor had done before they began to fall to Darkness and Shadow, he was ready to pass on his rule to his only son, Eldarion, and in turn, also pass on himself.

Arwen closed her eyes. She knew what he spoke of....what he meant. Long ago, upon Cerin Amroth, on the eve in which they plighted their troth, she had foreseen this moment... And long ago, she had accepted this fact that one day her Estel would pass away, but she could not believe that it had come so soon. So soon...and she was not yet weary of her days in Middle-earth. Grief so strong and so powerful overtook her, and she opened her eyes to gaze upon him. "Would you, then, my Lord and my only beloved, leave your people whom live by your word before your time? Would you leave our only son and heir alone to rule our Kingdom?" She paused for a moment, her voice breathy with despair. "Would you leave...me...alone in this world? To live out my days without hope?"

A pang of sorrow entered him. Would he indeed leave all this behind? Then, resolve entered him. Such things he knew would come to pass one day. This day had come. "My love, you knew, so long ago, that this would indeed come one day." 

She drew in a deep breath. "Indeed," she murmured, bowing her head. "But it has come so soon..."

"Many years over have we dwelt together, _a i taid na sui padauva ned Menel,_" {and each moment is like walking in Heaven} he sighed. "But I fear that even _meneldorthoui_ must one day give back a gift so great, such as the one given to myself and those of my bloodline." {_roughly_ angels}

Arwen nodded again, grief so locked within her, she could not think of anything to say save only this, "Then if it is your will, my love, I will walk with you...one last time...to the House of Kings." Her melodious voice wavered with pain, and she could not bring herself to look up at him...to meet his eyes. She could not let him see the utmost despair in her own eyes. She had to be strong for him. She had to give him her strength.

The awe of her words astounded Aragorn for a moment. This would indeed be the last time he stood in their room. So many years had he fought so hard for her love and for a life with her. And here, such comforts he was ready to set aside, to return to the circles that bore him. "I would have you walk me, my love, for no other would I have." His hand, no longer as powerful as it used to be, but rather worn with time and care reached out to her hand, taking it.

A small smile graced her elven features as she squeezed his hand gently back. Slowly, as if in a dream, Arwen and her dear Lord and husband walked from their chambers of Minas Tirith, the chambers that had held so many memories for the both of them, to the House of Kings. It had been in those rooms where she and her love had held one another tightly in the night, whispering tender and loving words in the dark. It had been in those rooms where she had conceived their first of many children. It had been in those rooms where they had rejoiced in their son's birth and the many births following his.

Beyond their room awaited halls that lead down to the gardens. To Aragorn, they were no ordinary gardens. Within they held the White Tree. Also it was more than the great tree, it also held memories. Days of great joy in which he had shared with her.

~*~

Sadly, but reverently, Eldarion, now grown well into manhood, rose and left his father's bedside. "_Namarie, Adar_, my King." Within his hands he held the Winged Crown and the Scepter of Arnor, once his father's, but they were now his. Though this was indeed a great honor, Eldarion could find no joy in his heart. His teary gaze fell upon his mother.

Queen Undomiel gazed at the floor, trying to keep back the wave of tears which threatened to fall. She _must_ be strong for her King. He needed her strength and love, not her sadness and despair. So intent was she on her emotions that at first she did not feel Eldarion squeeze her arm gently. "Mother," he murmured, bowing his head to her, his eyes mournful. She gave him a small nod, then looked away once more. Eldarion nodded and then gestured for the Royal Attendants to take their leave with him. 

As his steps echoed out into the hallway, a weak cough filled the emptied room. Tenderly, Aragorn reached to her hand, wrapping his fingers about her smooth, immaculate skin.

"Estel..." she whispered, her lower lip trembling; trying to keep the tears of her pain from falling, but her effort was in vain. As she lifted her gaze from the ground to his beloved face, the tears slid from her beautiful eyes and trailed down her cheeks, glimmering like diamonds in the glow of the flickering torchlight. 

Unwavering, he lifted his hand from hers, caressing her cheek and brushing away her tears. "Arwen... Do not cry," he looked to her. A weary smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Sing to me, my love, one last time."

Arwen fell to her knees, clutching his hand in hers, her slender form shaking. "Estel...Estel..." she said over and over. The pain in her eyes was intense and she closed them, burying her face in his chest. "Do not leave me..."

"Take council with yourself, beloved, would you have me, not long from now, fall from my throne, unmanned and witless? I would not wait for such a time. More pain would it bring not only you but to my people if Gondor is brought to its knees for the soul reason that I would not relinquish what gift has been given to me. And such folly has proven the downfall of many men in my line." 

She shook her head, and lifted her face to look into his eyes. "Nay, my dear Lord. I would not have that fate for you, because I love you, Estel," she said softly, her eyes brimming over with tears. "And yet I cannot bear the thought of living on without you. How can it be that the years have gone by so quickly?" she asked, bringing his hand to her lips, and again, she closed her eyes.

"It is said, that in days of joy, everything is a blur, for life is peaceful and there are no worries for a moment. And every moment in which I have been with you, I have found joy," he smiled at her.

But Arwen found no comfort in his smile. Her heart was crying out with longing and despair. She let a sob escape her salty lips, and she clutched his hand tighter still.

Weakly, he pushed himself over. "Rest a while with me, my love, before I go."

She moved instantly to his side, pressing herself to him, her arms gently surrounding him in a loving embrace. She laid her head on his shoulder, her tears now flowing freely, but silently. 

Lovingly, he brushed her hair behind her ear. "Do not cry, love," he tried to comfort her, though there was no comfort for such loss.

His Queen held him closer, as if he would slip away from her in the next instant. "How can I not?" she asked softly in his ear. Her tears fell on his neck and she slipped a hand to his soft hair, now frosted with age.

"For we are not bound forever to the circles of the world, and beyond them is more than memory. I will wait for you there, my love."

Arwen shut her eyes tightly, her body shivering as she held him closer, trying to warm herself...trying to warm her soul which seemed to be freezing with despair. "Do you believe we will be united even in death, Estel?" she asked, her voice trembling. 

The question came to him, and immediately the foresight that would guide him one last time came to him. "Indeed, my love. Search for me amongst the stars, and there I shall find you when the time has come."

"Oh, love.... Please..." she whispered.

His eyes met hers, radiant with love, passion, and hidden beneath such joy, there was grief greater than he could express. "I will come to you, and we shall be together forever. No bounds of time will hold us back. But, speak not of such a time, for we together have shared many joys, and this time cannot shadow all joyous moments, love." His hand reached out, caressing her cheek.

Arwen placed a slim hand atop his, her tears now slowing, but they did not cease altogether. "Indeed," she whispered, "we have shared many moments of complete bliss." She smiled gently at him. 

"And if years can be counted as moments, then indeed, this moment, since I have found you amongst the glistening stars, has left me the most blessed man e'er to walk this earth."

"And when I first beheld you under the flowering birches of Imladris where none now walk, my heart beat truly for the first time," she whispered, her hand tightening slightly on his, bringing it to rest against her heart.

"And such a gift had brought us to places such as the hill of Cerin Amroth, where I learned that love is boundless, and such a gift I could never match." With each pulse of her heart, he knew that she would live on. She would watch over their children, their Kingdom, for the people trusted her. And one day he would fulfill his promise to her. That he would indeed come for her. And together they would be forever, for life in heaven did not begin until she was at his side.

She sighed softly in his ear. "I remember that eve. All our cares of the world seemed to have been blown away upon the summer breeze...and leaving us empty of everything except our love." She tenderly caressed his hand with her thumb. "And from that moment on, I knew I had found my soul's equal...that I had found my love." 

"Such times lived on, love," he smiled. His hand slowly turned over, feebly gripping hers. Tenderly, he brought it to his lips, kissing it. "Even through the night."

"Yes," she breathed gently. Within her eyes was a light, a light so golden and so luminous that it seemed to shine brighter than even the sun as she remembered those nights of bliss. 

"And see where it has brought us." His hand turned over, taking her palm and placing it over his heart. Each pulse seemed to still beat strongly, though he knew it was waning. "And this heart will sing, but only in the company of you."

"As well as my soul, my beloved," she said, her voice low and melodious, and it flowed upon the breeze that blew gently in through the open windows. "And both my heart and soul beat even stronger when I had been with child."

"Indeed, for each child carries your beauty." He recalled once telling her so, amongst the gardens of this very city, _his_ city.

Tears filled her eyes, and she pressed herself even closer to him, laying her head as gently as she could upon his heart.

Another cough escaped him, though he covered his mouth with his hand. A bitter taste entered his mouth, though no bitter than this moment.

"Aragorn," she whispered, raising her head to gaze at him. "Love....am I hurting you?" she asked softly, concern alighting her loving eyes. She took his hand, and seeing the dark stain upon it, she asked in a soft voice, "Are you in pain?"

"Only with the pain that I am leaving you," his eyes began to fill with unlooked for tears. He wished to be strong; to leave her knowing that he was still strong and could weather still darkness as he once did.

She let out a soft sob and gently took his hand and cleaned it upon her gown. When at last she looked upon him, she found that his beautiful eyes glittered with tears as he gazed long at her. "Estel.... Oh, beloved..." Arwen could feel the icy fingers of death probing at her already grief-frozen heart...now trying to break it.

His thumb caressed her hand that still pressed against his chest. "Please, do not despair, for our next meeting will not be for many long, moments, and the thoughts I want to remember of you are of your radiant smile that will guide me back to you."

She gave him a smile, though her lips trembled. Her heart felt so heavy within her. "Do you mean the smile that I gave you all those years ago on our marriage day?" she asked, her tone soft and whispering. "And night?" Arwen reached out to him and gently wiped away the tears which lingered on his cheeks.

"Such a smile I could only dream of, though seeing you at all is a blessing in itself," a grim tone came over him. Sorrowfully, he closed his eyes.

Arwen Undomiel knew that his time was almost come. She could sense it. Even as she gazed upon him, even as she stroked him, she could not believe that he was going...that he was dying. She could feel her heart breaking...splitting. A part of his very soul was in her, and she could feel that part of her dying...dying along with her beloved Estel...her beloved.

His eye opened once more, only to look longingly back into her crystalline depths. The fading stars that called out to her were fading fast. "Sing to me, my beloved, my one true love, one last time," his voice grew hoarse. "And always remember I love you… I love you more than any sea, any lands, even death, can contain. And forever I will be here for you, watching over you." Slowly, his eyes closed, lowering him gently into the depths of eternity.

And so, with tears in her eyes, Arwen began to sing her one, last song to her dying King.

_"Once, as my heart remembers  
All the stars were fallen embers  
Once, when night seemed forever  
I was with you._

Once, in the care of morning,  
In the air was all belonging  
Once, when the day was dawning,  
I was with you.

How far we are from morning,  
How far we are.  
And the stars shining through the darkness  
Falling in the air.

Once, as the night was leaving,  
Into us our dreams were weaving.  
Once, all dreams were worth keeping  
I was with you.

Once, as our hearts were singing,  
I was with you."

As she looked to him, only the serene look of eternal peace she saw. No longer a radiant light. No longer a powerful King. But only a fallen ember of an immortal star. In peace he laid, though only moments ago she had held him. She had held him and had felt him passing.

Aragorn had left her. And along with him, her only beloved, so had a piece of her very soul. The luminous light in her beautiful eyes was now quenched, and she became as cold and gray as nightfall in winter that comes without a star.

"Aragorn, my love...my beloved Estel. You are gone from me, and now I am bound by the life you left behind." She took both his still hands in her own and lifted her eyes towards the starlit heavens. "These wounds in which I feel will never entirely heal. Nay...not until I am with you once more. This pain within my heart and my very soul is too great," she paused and gazed back down upon him, "to bear without you. I am frozen inside, and you have left me. And in your leaving, beloved, I too am gone. Long ago, love, I promised you that when you passed away, I would join you." Tears like molten silver fell from her lightless eyes. "And so I will keep my promise, and pass away...so we can finally be together where no bounds of time can separate us. And together we can forever be eternal."

And so, with the passing of King Elessar, Arwen Undomiel, the last star of the Eldar Kindred, faded away. There are only three ways in which the immortal can die. That is fire, steel, and grief. But the Lady Undomiel had chosen mortality rather than the ageless, timeless lives of her kin, and she was susceptible to all three...even now. But especially the third. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

_Fin_

This story was written by Silraen and Navana  
4~23~03

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"At last, Lady Evenstar, fairest in this world, and most beloved, my world is fading. Lo! We have gathered, and we have spent, and now the time of payment draws near."

"Behold! We are not bound forever to the circles of the world, and beyond them is more than memory! Farewell!" 


End file.
